Emergency action of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for the North Caucasus and the South of Russia (October 2001)

31-10-2001 Operational Update

Highlights

The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Jakob Kellenberger visited Moscow on 29 and 30 October 2001.

During this two day visit Jakob Kellenberger met with Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matvienko,Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov,Justice Minister Yuri Tchaika and the Minister in charge of the economic and social development of Chechnya Vladimir Yelagin,First Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Vassiliev,the First Deputy Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Yuri Baluevsky,the Deputy Prosecutor Vladimir Davidov as well as the Vice Chairman of the Duma,Vladimir Lukhin.

The aim of President Kellenberger's meetings was to discuss ongoing humanitarian activities of the ICRC in the North Caucasus,in particular in Chechnya.In addition to the food and non-food assistance to displaced Chechens in Ingushetia and the vulnerable population in Chechnya,discussions were also held on the visits by ICRC delegates to persons detained for reasons related to the current situation in Chechnya.The visit reinforced the clear understanding of the ICRC by Russian authorities,and their continued support for its work in the Russian Federation.

In October a co-operation agreement was signed between the ICRC and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development of the Russian Federation which will enable the ICRC to further implement its orthopaedic programme in the RF.The ICRC committed itself to train Chechen prosthetists who will work at the Grozny orthopaedic centre and to provide equipm ent for this centre.